1. Field of Invention
This application relates, in general, to a pocket-cutting/screw-insertion system and more particularly to a system including an improved delivery/insert assembly and methods for their use.
2. Description of Related Art
Many commercially manufactured cabinet and furniture products are formed from a plurality of wooden, composite or plastic members which are joined together by a plurality of fasteners, most usually wood screws. In many instances, the wood screws are positioned in screw pockets or mortises formed in the joinery member adjacent to an edge of the member, which edge is then secured to a second joinery member. For example, and with reference to FIG. 1, a joinery member 30 may be provided with screw pockets 32 with corresponding screw bores 33 which are dimensioned to receive wood screws 35 therein in such a manner that the joinery member may be screwed and secured to an abutting second joinery member by the wood screws.
The formation of screw pockets can be accomplished using various types of equipment. Some of the most efficient ways of forming screw pockets and complementary bores are set forth in my prior U.S. Pat. Nos. 6,877,536, 5,063,982 and 4,603,719.
If the number of members to be joined together is relatively small, the apparatus of my '982 and '719 patents is quite suitable for allowing a woodworker to manually place fasteners or pocket screws into pockets. In the do-it-yourself or low volume contexts, it is relatively easy and not too time consuming to simply manually position the pocket screws for screwing into the other joinery member using a powered or unpowered screwdriver.
In high volume production situations, however, fabrication lines need to be partially or fully automated, and one of the more difficult and time consuming tasks in a joinery production line is to automate the positioning of fasteners in the joinery members so that they can be fastened together using a power screwdriver. It is undesirable in high volume production applications, therefore, to form the screw pocket and bore automatically and yet have to employ manual labor to insert fasteners in the bores for subsequent powered screwing together of the joinery pieces. My '536 patent addresses such problems by enhancing placement of the pocket screws in joinery members in a production line for subsequent formation of joinery assemblies.
Nonetheless, it would be beneficial to have methods and apparatuses which more precisely, consistently and reliably deliver a screw to the screw pocket in such a manner to allow for higher throughput.